Diagnostic Day 2025

FIND’s Diagnostics Day took place on Wednesday, 21 May at the Vieux Bois restaurant in Geneva, as a side event to the World Health Assembly. We had several participants join us for the day, or for individual sessions. The event was livestreamed for those who could not attend in person, and the recordings are available at our YouTube channel.

The agenda for the event is below.

Download a printable version of the agenda

Dx Day Speakers

Speakers
	Mr Paul Nuki, Senior Editor, The Telegraph Paul Nuki is Global Health Security Editor at The Telegraph. Previously, he held various editorial roles at The Sunday Times and was the founding editor of NHS Choices. He also co-founded Stepjockey, a health tech startup promoting stair use. Nuki studied at George Watson’s College and the University of Liverpool.
	Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, CEO, FIND Dr. Adetifa is CEO of FIND and a pediatrician specializing in infectious disease epidemiology. Formerly Director General of Nigeria’s CDC, he led the national COVID-19 response. He’s served on CEPI’s Scientific Advisory Committee and held academic roles, including at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
	Dr Ebere Okereke, Chief Program Officer, Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity Dr. Okereke is Chief Program Officer at Reaching the Last Mile Foundation, with nearly 30 years in public health. She has expertise in TB control, zoonoses, outbreak response, and training. She has led surveillance and strategy work in the UK and Africa, and teaches at Leeds School of Medicine.
	Dr Mark Barone, Fórum Intersetorial para Combate às DCNTs no Brasil Dr. Barone, a type 1 diabetes patient, is a global advocate for NCD care. A PhD in Human Physiology, he’s advanced diabetes policy in Brazil and co-founded ForumCCNTs. He serves on numerous advisory panels, including for WHO, BMJ, and the International Diabetes Federation.
	Ms Olivia Ngou, Executive Director & Founder, Impact Santé Afrique Founder of Impact Santé Afrique, Olivia Ngou advocates for malaria elimination. She coordinates the CS4ME network, advises Cameroon’s government, and supports African countries’ malaria programs. Formerly with Malaria No More, her work has boosted political will and national funding for malaria control.
	Mr Zoubir Tabloul, Managing Director, Vital Care Zoubir Tabloul is Managing Director of Vital Care, a leader in diabetes care devices. With a finance background, he has held roles across industries. He led the development of MyGlyc®, a diabetes management app that integrates with blood glucose monitoring systems.
	Dr Michel Sidibé, African Union Special Envoy for the African Medicines Agency Dr. Sidibé is the African Union’s Special Envoy for the African Medicines Agency and former UNAIDS Executive Director. With 40+ years in global health, he pioneered the 90-90-90 HIV targets and champions Africa’s pharmaceutical self-reliance. He’s also a former Minister of Health in Mali.
	Dr Hatem Amer, Board Member, FIND & Ministry of Health, Egypt Dr. Amer is Egypt’s Associate Minister of Health for International Relations. A pharmacist and public health expert, he has led global partnerships, major public health initiatives, and represented Egypt in key UN forums. He holds advanced degrees and is fluent in five languages.
	Dr Els Torreele, Global Health and Medical Innovation Researcher, Advisor, Advocate Dr. Torreele is a global health equity expert and founder of æqua. With a background in biomedical science and policy, she has worked with MSF, DNDi, and Open Society Foundations to promote equitable access to medical innovations and health technologies.
	Ms Carol Nawina Maimbolwa, Executive Director of CITAMplus, Zambia Carol Maimbolwa is Executive Director of CITAMplus and a leading TB/HIV advocate. Using her lived experience, she drives policy change and community-centered health responses at local and global levels. She serves on Unitaid’s board and several national and international health bodies.
	Ms Anouk Petersen, Partner, McKinsey Health Institute Anouk Petersen is a McKinsey partner and Co-Director at the McKinsey Health Institute. She leads health equity initiatives across Europe, focusing on gender equality and women's health. She co-authored key reports on closing the women’s health gap and advises public and social sector clients.
	Ms Anne-Caroline Benski, Médecin adjointe, Service de gynécologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève Dr. Benski is a gynecologist at Geneva University Hospitals with extensive field experience in reproductive health across Africa. She specializes in maternal health innovations and telemedicine. A Takemi Fellow at Harvard, she also contributed to Geneva’s COVID-19 response for pregnant women and newborns.
	Dr Lindiwe Makubalo, Assistant Regional Director, WHO AFRO Dr. Makubalo, former Assistant Regional Director at WHO AFRO, has extensive public health and diplomacy experience. She has worked on diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance, and health systems in Africa, and represented South Africa at WHO and UN forums to improve health outcomes.
	Prof Vernon Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Communicable Diseases Agency, Singapore Professor Vernon Lee is the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency, which commenced operations in April 2025. He is a public health physician with extensive global health experience in pandemic preparedness and response, infectious disease epidemiology, and health policy, having responded to the 2003 SARS outbreak, 2009 influenza pandemic, and COVID-19 pandemic.
	Dr Emmanuel Agogo, Director, Pandemic Threats, FIND Dr. Agogo is Director of Pandemic Threats at FIND, with over 20 years of global health experience. He has led efforts in health systems strengthening, HIV, TB, and epidemic preparedness, previously holding leadership roles at Nigeria’s CDC and Resolve to Save Lives
	Dr Caia Dominicus, Technical Policy Officer, IPPS Dr. Caia Dominicus serves as Technical Policy Officer at the International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat, focusing on diagnostics within the 100 Day Mission framework. She has a background as a research scientist in functional genomics, molecular parasitology, and neurodegenerative disease research. She has held academic research positions at institutions including the University of Cambridge, the Francis Crick Institute, and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, as well as industry experience at AstraZeneca.
	Ms Heulwen Philpot, Head of Secretariat, IPPS Heulwen Philpot leads the International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat, supporting the 100 Day Mission. A former UK health policy official, she has led international AMR negotiations and G7/G20 summit preparations. She also advocates for grassroots development in Uganda through Resource Uganda.
	Mr Mario Moreira, President, Fiocruz Mario Moreira is President of Fiocruz, Brazil’s leading public health institution. With advanced degrees in health, innovation, and public management, he’s held numerous leadership roles in Brazilian public administration and science institutions, focusing on health technology, innovation, and institutional development.
	Dr Yukiko Nakatani, Assistant Director-General, WHO Dr. Nakatani is WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines. Formerly a senior official in Japan’s Ministry of Health, she has led work on cancer control, medical devices, and pandemic response. She holds medical and public health degrees and has worked in both Japan and the U.S.
	Dr Javier Yugueros-Marcos, Director General, WOAH Dr. Yugueros-Marcos is Head of AMR & Veterinary Products at WOAH. He leads global initiatives on antimicrobial stewardship and quality veterinary diagnostics, coordinating with international partners to improve animal health and mitigate antimicrobial resistance risks.
	Ms Joanna Sickler, Vice-President, Health Policy & External Affairs, Roche Diagnostics Joanna’s background spans diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and NGOs, with a focus on public health, implementation science, and health policy to optimize medical value. Previously at Roche Diagnostics, she served as Senior Director of Medical Affairs, leading global medical strategy and clinical impact studies for point-of-care molecular tests, with a strong focus on respiratory diagnostics and pandemic response. Prior to that, she led market access and policy strategy at Zyomyx to support the launch of a CD4 test for use in resource-limited settings. Earlier in her career at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, she advanced global procurement strategies and supported Ministries of Health across Africa in revising HIV treatment guidelines. Joanna holds MPH and MBA degrees from UC Berkeley and a BA from Wesleyan University.
	Mr Thomas Cueni, Board Member, FIND Thomas Cueni, former Director General of IFPMA, has long represented the biopharma industry globally. He championed access initiatives like the AMR Action Fund and served on the WHO ACT-Accelerator. A former diplomat and journalist, he’s active in numerous global health policy platforms.
	Dr Ayoade Alakija, Board Chair, FIND Dr. Alakija, Board Chair of FIND and WHO Special Envoy, is a leading voice for health equity. With over 20 years in global health, she has led humanitarian responses, advised governments, and founded Nigeria’s Emergency Coordination Centre. She champions justice and inclusive pandemic preparedness.